Cathcon has a story from Kathnet that the Pope is planning to issue a new Pastoral instruction on the media and the world wide interwebs. This is meant to be an update-extension to 1992 “Aetatis novae.”

The Vatican is planning a new Pastoral instruction about the media sector. A policy paper which will presumably be ready for publication in October will explain the attitude of the church to “the new digital culture”, said the President of the Pontifical Media Council, Archbishop Claudio Celli, in conversation on Wednesday with the Italian Catholic news agency SIR. In essence, it will update the most recent media-instruction “Aetatis novae” of 1992. “Aetatis novae” comes from a time “when the Internet did not exist”, so the “digital culture” was not yet taken into account, said Celli.

The President of the Media Council stressed that the Catholic doctrine to new media must be to meet the different cultural context, in which Christians live. He referred also to the call of Pope Benedict XVI. Even people in poor countries should share in the development of media technology and its opportunities.

Celli also announced a media seminar for young people in Africa. The media event planned for the end of April in Kenya’s capital Nairobi by the Pontifical Council will deal with new media as a means of peace and reconciliation. Around 100 participants from various regions of conflict on the continent are invited, said Celli.

For my part, I hope he doesn’t go on and on about neglecting your family in favor of your blog, or staying up in the middle of the night desperately looking for something to write about, or checking your stats while you are at work. I already know that stuff is wrong, not that I would ever do anything like that.

In recent remarks on the ex-excommunication fiasco, the Pope made mention that they need to use the Internet to do research before issuing instructions such as these. I hope they follow through. Just to be sure though, I just emailed the Vatican a link to Vox Nova. I just thought he should know.

In the meantime, let me get back to work. Don’t you judge me.